Turkey: Headscarf enslaves the AK Party

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), just like its precursors from the political Islamic movements, namely, the Welfare (RP) and the Virtue Parties (FP), has become enslaved by the headscarf issue. Despite what Prime Minister and AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said about headscarves not being at the top of their agenda at the beginning of their administration, the issue has become one of their top priorities in recent months.

Due to the Constitutional Court imposing a ban on headscarves being worn in the public domain — defined as all state institutions, including schools — the AK Party is currently formulating tactics that will gradually free the wearing of the headscarves. The most recent tactic involves the inclusion of a step that would create a loophole within the ban by allowing the re-opening of the Orthodox Christian Theological Seminary on Heybeliada, which has become very important in the process of harmonization with the European Union.

The government, which welcomes the re-opening of the seminary, aims to open the way to lifting the ban on headscarves in the public domain, as defined. AK Party officials, noting Erdogan’s statement defending the right of private universities’ to allow headscarves, said a legal amendment to allow the re-opening of the seminary could kill two birds with one stone.

Recently, Erdogan has also created a debate over the definition of `public domain’, which is the basis of the headscarf ban. The prime minister said the public domain should be an area where all freedoms can be practiced. However, the AK Party still shrirks from formulating a legal amendment that will tackle the issue head-on.

The AK Party, by welcoming two Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies into its fold, has increased the number of its parliamentary seats to 369. Parliamentary Speaker Bulent Arinc cannot vote, according to the Constitution. That’s why the majority of the AK Party is 368. On the other hand, passing a constitutional amendment necessitates 367 votes. Theoretically, the AK Party can pass any new definition of `public domain’ and a new headscarf law just by itself. However, the AK Party fears eruption of a crisis between state institutions may result from such an act.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer does not invite Parliamentary Speaker Arinc on his overseas trips in order prevent Arinc’s wife — who wears a headscarf — from attending official receptions. However, neither does Sezer invite the wives of AK Party deputies or that of Erdogan to official functions. Indeed, Sezer sent an invitation for Erdogan to attend alone the official dinner held at the Dolmabahce Palace for heads of state and the government of NATO countries.

The Constitutional Court closed down the RP in 1998, and the FP in 2001, for being centers of anti-secular activity. Deputy from Istanbul Merve Kavakci insistence on taking her oath of office while wearing a headscarf played a significant role in the closure of the FP.